Stewart

NEW YORK -- As strange as it might seem to some, Tony Stewart is enjoying the spotlight in New York.

Stewart is known for being wary of media and fan interaction as well as for temper outbursts that got him into several scrapes and put him on probation each of the last two seasons.

Not this week.

The new NASCAR Winston Cup champion, here for a week of appearances and honors culminating with Friday night's NASCAR Awards Ceremony, spent part of Thursday posing for pictures in Times Square with snow falling steadily.

Stewart, who is from Indiana, said that experience even beat his visit Monday with President Bush at the White House.

"That was the best,'' he said, grinning. "I got to play in the snow a little bit. Being from Indiana, I know all about snow.''

Stewart has been in the center of a whirlwind since leaving Washington after meeting the president.

His itinerary has included visits with New York policemen and firefighters, appearances on TV shows, autograph sessions and lots of media interviews -- the type of things some people predicted would make Stewart an unhappy champion.

Even Stewart was a little worried about what he knew would be an almost overwhelming schedule.

"I thought this week by Wednesday I'd be on suicide watch,'' he joked. "Actually, it's all been great. I've had a blast. But every day that gets closer (to the awards ceremony), I'm getting more nervous. This is something I've dreamed about.''

The 31-year-old champion, who battled to the last race and beat Mark Martin by just 38 points, will collect more than $4 million from the points fund and contingency money Friday night.

"I'm not worried about the money,'' Stewart said. "I'm more worried about the speech.''

Everybody else is wondering what Stewart can do to top his awards ceremony performance of a year ago.

He was the last of the Winston Cup drivers to start wearing a mandatory head and neck restraint, saying he didn't want to wear the device because he is claustrophobic. Stewart only wore it because NASCAR insisted.

When he accepted his check for finishing second to Jeff Gordon last December, Stewart pretended to be hot, mopping his brow and taking off the coat of his Tuxedo. Underneath he wore a head and neck restraint.

That brought laughs and the biggest ovation of the night.

"I don't know how I could top that,'' Stewart said. "Still,'' he added with a mischievous smile, "you never know. I might try.''

The winter storm that hit the East Coast on Wednesday and Thursday caused travel problems for a number of people heading for the NASCAR festivities.

It definitely caused problems for Joe Gibbs, the former Washington Redskins coach and now Stewart's car owner. Gibbs said he made a promise to bring all of his race team employees to New York if Stewart won the title.

"We're trying to get all our guys up here,'' Gibbs said. "Every one of them has been an important part of winning this championship.''

Gibbs did not bring everyone to New York when Bobby Labonte gave him his first Winston Cup title in 2000, and he said this might be the last time he does it.

"I told them I can't afford to ever do this again,'' Gibbs said, laughing.

Perhaps he could borrow some money from his champion driver.